Watching and Praying
by MangaSockAttack
Summary: This story follows select characters from the Harry Potter series on 9/11. In honor of all those who passed away on September 11, 2001. Please be respectful.


**MSA: Hello all! I wanted to do a story in honor of all those who passed away on 9/11, so here is my story. For this to work, I need you to pretend Lily and James were alive and they lived in America on 9/11. I didn't know what Marlene's blood status was, so I put her as a Muggleborn.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, not even a little**

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"G'morning, Lily." James said with a yawn as he walked into the living room. It was 10 o'clock on Tuesday morning and the entire M.O.M. had gotten the day off from work. In the living room, Lily was sitting on the couch feeding baby Harry some applesauce.

"Good morning, I made you some toast, if you want it." She said, gesturing to a plate on the coffee table with her free hand.

"Thanks, Flower." James replied, sitting down next to her. Lily smiled and laughed when Harry tried to wriggle out of her grasp. Also laughing, James plucked Harry from his mother's grasp and sat him on his lap.

"How's my big boy today?" Harry laughed and tugged at his father's hair.

"LILY! LILY, WHERE ARE YOU?!" The Potters turned around in time to see a blonde woman's head sitting in the fireplace.

"Marlene? I'm right here! Is something wrong?" Lily rose and kneeled by the fireplace, followed closely by James, who was carrying their son.

"Oh, Lily! I tried flooing the Ministry but they said you were out and I—" Marlene McKinnon was speaking at a rapid speed.

"Marlene! Slow down, what's wrong?" Marlene sniffed and nodded towards the television. "Turn on the TV, one of the networks. I've got to run, I'm sorry, dear." With that, her head disappeared. Lily got up and turned on the television tuning in to one of the main networks.

James had found it very silly when Lily had insisted that they hook up the house with electricity and cable, but he had complied. They had two working wall phones and a television, so that Lily could keep up with the Muggle news and contact her parents easily. When Lily had shown the pureblood how the television and phone worked, he was fascinated. Occasionally, Lily would catch him flipping the channels looking mystified.

When the red-head gasped, James looked up at the television. Picking up his child, he walked over to the sofa and sat down next Lily, gawking at the screen. It showed to tall, modern buildings in flames. Holding hands with their son in-between them, they watched the flames eat away at the building.

He recognized the towers, they were the World Trade Center. He remembered Lily talking about them. He recalled her telling him about all the people that worked there, about a boy who she went to grade school with that worked there. If he remembered correctly, he used to color the ends of her ponytails and call her names. Tears prickled into his eyes as he thought about the chance meeting they had had at a BBQ place…his wife…his daughter…his son…

**HPHPHP**

Sirius and Remus gaped at the scarlet screen. Sirius had been visiting Remus and Remus had showed him how the television worked. They had landed on the news and stunned, they watched the towers burn. They remembered Lily telling them she would take them up there one day, to the restaurant. Now, they would never get a chance.

**HPHPHP**

"Arthur, please put that silly Muggle contraption away!" Molly Weasley called from the kitchen. Her two oldest had been helping their father get a television set to work. A friend had given it to to Arthur for his birthday, along with a hand generator. It had been lying across the Weasley's sitting room for several days and Molly was loosing her patience.

"Molly, dearest, I'm almost finished!" Molly sighed and filled a spoon with mashed peas. Gently putting in Ron's mouth she turned just in time to see the twins send the salad clattering to the floor. With another deep sigh, she ordered the twins out of the kitchen and began to clean up. An excited yelp came from the sitting room and Bill came running into the kitchen.

"He did it, Mum, Dad did it! Come quick!" Grasping his mother's hand firmly he pulled her into the sitting room. With her youngest still on her arm, the Weasley matriarch aloud herself to be pulled into the large room. Molly gazed curiously at the, now assembled, television set. Arthur picked up the remote control and pressed the power button. A red light glowed against his chest. Laughing with delight, he flipped the remote around and pressed the button again. The television turned on to the news channel.

Amazed, the Weasley family watched the burning building that popped onto the screen. A voice filled the kitchen, making all the members jump. Pressing the "volume up" button, the Weasley's watched as the towers were identified and the story was told. Throat burning, Molly put a hand to her mouth when she heard the number of people who worked at the World Trade Center. Whimpering, Molly pulled her sons closer to her and they watched the news cast, terrified.

**HPHPHP**

Marlene McKinnon cried softly into he husbands arms. Her brother, Kevin, was a firefighter. He worked in engine 40, which was called to the twin towers. He was only 37. He and his wife wanted to start a family, she prayed for his safety.

**HPHPHP**

At Hogwarts, Professor Burbage explained the mechanics of the television to her sixth-year Muggle Studies class. Pressing the "on" button, Professor Burbage's lecture faltered as a burning building filled the screen. A newscaster appeared in the lower right, and explained the situation to the classroom. A blonde Ravenclaw raised her hand.

"Professor Burbage? Is this the real news or one of those soap operas you were telling us about?" Professor Burbage blinked back tears and in a trembling voice answered the girl's question.

"I'm afraid, Mrs. Makson, that it is very real." Another girl, a mousy haired Hufflepuff, sniffled. The class watched the television, some too frightened to move.

**HPHPHP**

In Dumbledore's office, the different portraits and Head's of House watched the silver screen Dumbledore had shown them. Dumbledore turned down the volume with a flick of his wand and turned to face the teachers.

"As you can see, there has been a catastrophe in the Muggle world. I am afraid that I must ask you to inform your houses of this horror, for the Muggleborns' sake. I feel it would be better to do it within the privacy of the students' common room than the Great Hall. Please inform them that Muggleborns can register to apparate to their parents house for the weekend if necessary. Thank you, you are dismissed." The silent professors rose and left the Headmaster's office. Closing his eyes, Dumbledore and the portraits had a moment of respectful silence for the innocent Muggles and for the brave first-responders.

_May They Rest in Peace_

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**MSA: This story is dedicated to all those who passed away during the attack on September 11, 2001. To all the innocent and to the brave officers who went in while everyone else was running out. To all the people who lost families and friends. Also, to Kevin Bracken, a friend of my Grandmother's, who passed away on 9/11. He was a firefighter from engine 40 and was 37 years old.**


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